Apple says in a new report that alternative app stores are the cause of most of the malware.
The App Store is in the middle of a global investigation, with several countries studying whether or not the Apple store is a monopoly, and to defend itself, the company just published a extensive 28 page document. In this report Apple highlights the security and privacy risks of “side loading” or “sideloading“. With” side loading “or”sideloading” we refer to installing apps from outside the App Store, such as a third-party website or app store.
The document is called Building a Trusted Ecosystem for Millions of Apps, “Building a Trusted Ecosystem for Millions of Applications,” and Apple Exposes the threats of an alternative to the App Store And it gives Android as an example, where this is allowed.
Android smartphones are the most common mobile malware targets and have recently had 15 to 47 times more malware infections than the iPhone. One study found that 98 percent of mobile malware targets Android devices. This is closely related to side loading: in 2018, for example, Android devices that installed apps outside of Google Play, the official Android app store, were eight times more likely to be affected by potentially harmful apps than those that didn’t. they made.
Apple does not want alternatives to the App Store: they are not safe
Apple says “Experts generally agree that iOS is more secure compared to Android, in part because Apple does not support side loading. “It further states that malware on iOS is rare, and that many of the attacks on the platform are” tightly targeted attacks, often carried out by nation-states. “
Apple quotes in its document until seven different fonts that advise against side loading of apps on iOS, from the United States Department of Homeland Security to the European Cybersecurity Agency, Europol or Norton.
“Users should only download apps from Google Play and not from third-party sources, to minimize the risk of installing a malicious app“- European Cybersecurity Agency.
“Only install apps from official app stores“. – Europol.
“Users should avoid (and companies should prohibit on their devices) the download of apps and the unauthorized use of app stores“. – US Department of Homeland Security.
“One way to minimize the danger from third-party app stores is to avoid them“. – Norton.
We will see how this battle that Apple has with different regulators ends legally. While Apple understands that it cannot have a monopoly, as the iPhone is a device with a minority share, others do not understand it the same. The European Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, hinted that they could force Apple to open iOS to other app stores.
Related topics: Android
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